Codename Eiffel Tower: Jacob Zuma’s role in another arms deal scandal

If you need to bribe your way into secrecy, JZ's your go-to-guy

Former French presidents, a host of high profile lawyers, and our very own Head of State Jacob Zuma have all had their dirty washing aired out at the People’s Tribunal on Economic Crime in Johannesburg this week, for their roles in an illicit arms deal.

The trial has been going since Thursday, but kicked into fifth gear on Monday when Ajay Sooklal took the stands. Sooklal was a legal representative for Thales, a French arms manufacturer who wanted South African business by any means necessary.

Who are Thales?

The Thales Group are an engineering company specialising in national defence. They have a presence in 31 countries, including a headquarters in South Africa. Part of their production range includes armoured vehicles, weaponry and missiles.

Formerly known as Thomson-CSF, the group had previously accepted a bribe from Schabir Shaik, who was Mr Zuma’s former financial adviser. Jacob was then formally indicted for corruption in connection with a multi-billion dollar arms deal.

They certainly came for the right man. Through Thales, Jacob Zuma was allegedly offered an annual salary of R500,000 to stop any probe into arms deals going ahead. The unholy alliance figured out a code for JZ to accept a bribe over the phone, without giving the game up.

The President was allegedly told in meeting held in Cape Town between him and the French leaders that saying “Eiffel Tower” would act as an agreement to take on their bribes. It’s quite a stunning accusation, but one befitting of Jacob Zuma’s conduct.

Who is Ajay Sooklal?

Ajay Sooklal himself was a corporate lawyer, who ended up taking work on for Thales. He’s had close ties both to senior members of the ANC and people involved in the arms deal. He first became aware of Thales paying Schabir Shaik millions of Francs illicitly in 2003, but only went public with his accusations in 2014.

Things got very heated for Ajay, who was formerly known as Witness X in this trial. He was on the end of a severe cross-examination from Zak Yacoob, who called into question his moral compass:

Sooklal, under immense pressure from J. Zac Yacoob, has elected to spend a few minutes outside to consider his thoughts.

“We are giving you an opportunity to bear your soul to the public today,” said Yacoob.

Both Chirac and Sarkozy are accused of paying money to Jacob Zuma up until 2009. Witness X claimed that he had been summonded to Zuma’s Pretoria homestead in 2012, and instructed him to avoid testifying at the Seriti Commission – a panel created to investigate the Presidents’ relationship with Thales.

What next for the arms deal conspirators?

The Tribunal has begun its fifth day, and the fraught atmosphere has shown no signs of dissipating. Zak Yacoob has even issued a stern warning to all of those implicated in the trial:

Yacoob: those implicated should be invited to defend themselves and if they refuse to do so then they should suffer public reputational damage #PeoplesTribunal